How to Give the Composer Directions for Your Original Film Score

Practical tips for indie directors and producers to communicate clearly and make the most of the composer collaboration.

Music is one of the most powerful storytelling tools in your film. It can shape mood, build tension, highlight character arcs, and add depth to visual moments. But how do you actually communicate your vision to a composer — especially if you don’t speak “music”?

Whether you’re working on your first short or prepping for a feature, giving clear and useful input to your composer can make a huge difference in how effective (and smooth) the process will be.

Let’s break down how to do it — step by step — with examples, tips, and real-world advice.

Before Anything: What’s a Spotting Session (and Why It Matters)

A spotting session is the meeting where the director and composer watch the film together — scene by scene — and discuss where music should start, stop, and what its emotional or narrative purpose should be.

It’s usually held once you have a picture-locked cut, and it’s one of the most crucial steps in the scoring process.

In a good spotting session, you’ll answer questions like:

• Should this scene have music at all?

• Is the music supporting tension or working against it?

• Should we emphasize this line, this cut, or this character’s silence?

You don’t need to come with a score in mind — but this is the perfect moment to discuss your music ideas: musical references, emotional goals, or notes for key moments. Even “this should feel like slow panic rising” is valuable.

The better the communication in the spotting session, the more effective (and collaborative) the music process will be.

🎼 1. Understand the Composer’s Role

Think of your composer as a storytelling partner, not a background technician. They’re not just writing beautiful music — they’re translating your emotional and narrative goals into sound.

You don’t need to know theory or talk in keys and time signatures. You just need to know what the audience should feel. A good composer will take it from there.

That said, the more specific and grounded your input is in terms of story and tone, the more targeted the score can be.

🎯 2. Start with the Big Picture

Before diving into specific cues, help your composer understand the overall world of the film:

• What genre are we working in?

• What’s the emotional arc?

• What are the major turning points?

• What’s the film really about?

Also ask yourself: are there specific characters, locations, relationships, or even emotions that deserve a theme or musical identity?

And remember — themes don’t have to be full, developed melodies. A “theme” can be as simple as:

• A 2-note motif

• A rhythmic cell

• A signature texture or soundscape

Themes can be emotional anchors or subtle callbacks. Even a slightly detuned synth or recurring bass pulse can act as a powerful identity in the story. And I personally believe that well-placed thematic material — even minimal or atmospheric — gives a score long-term coherence and emotional weight.

🎭 3. Give Emotional and Narrative Direction

This is the heart of the conversation. Don’t worry about telling me what instruments to use — instead, tell me:

• What’s the emotional tone of the scene?

• What should the audience feel — and when?

• What’s happening underneath the surface?

Here are examples of great, useful direction:

• “This scene should feel warm but unstable — like the happiness could break at any moment.”

• “I want the music to stop just before the cut, to leave the viewer hanging.”

• “This part feels like it needs air — maybe a sense of loneliness but also wonder?”

Sometimes it’s about energy (“this should feel tense, but not scary”), sometimes about rhythm (“we need to slow down here”), or tension/release (“let’s build for 10 seconds, then drop suddenly”).

Good music direction is always rooted in narrative and emotion, not abstract musical terms.

🎧 4. Use References — With Context

Musical references are incredibly useful — as long as we treat them as what they are: starting points for conversation, not blueprints to copy.

If you send me a track or a temp cue, it’s helpful to tell me:

• What you like about it (e.g. “the texture,” “the groove,” “the pacing”)

• What doesn’t work (e.g. “too epic,” “too clean,” “wrong instrumentation”)

• Where it fits emotionally in your story

Also: don’t be afraid to share visual references. Sometimes a film’s color palette or cinematography helps define a musical world — even before we talk notes.

References are particularly helpful during the spotting session. Come with 2–3 tracks for your key scenes if you can. That gives us common ground to work from and makes the process way more intuitive and inspiring.

🚫 5. Say What You Don’t Want

Sometimes it’s easier to explain what something isn’t. If there are things you definitely want to avoid — say it early.

For example:

• “No big Hollywood strings — it needs to stay grounded.”

• “No guitar, even acoustic. It just pulls it into the wrong genre.”

• “I don’t want it to feel too polished. I’d rather have raw textures.”

This kind of input saves time and helps avoid missteps in tone or style.

And if you have musical or stylistic pet peeves — share them! You won’t offend me. The goal is to get to something that feels right for your story, not just “nice.”

🛠️ 6. Provide Practical Info (But Don’t Stress)

You don’t need to worry about preparing a formal template or complex cue sheet — that’s my job. But if you do want to send a short written brief before the spotting session, so that we are in the same place at the spotting session, feel free. It could include:

• The film’s genre, runtime, and final delivery timeline

• Rough notes on musical needs

• Any important temp cues already used (and what you think of them)

• Reference tracks and what you like and dislike about them

Even a few paragraphs of context and intention can be gold.

During the spotting session, I’ll take detailed notes anyway — but your input up front helps me prepare and think creatively about how to support your vision.

💬 7. Giving Feedback During the Process

Once we’ve started working together, the key is finding the right balance between trust and involvement. Give the composer room to explore—but stay connected to the process.

Listen to early sketches, share your impressions, and help steer the direction when needed.

When giving feedback:

• Be as specific as you can, even if you don’t use musical terms.

• Don’t worry about being “too direct” — a professional composer knows that feedback is part of getting the best result.

• Sometimes a single change — a chord, a texture, a shift in tone — can dramatically change the emotional impact.

Try to describe what you’re aiming for using story or emotion: “It needs to feel more uncertain here,” or “I want this moment to feel like a release, not a buildup.”

🎬 Final Thought: Think Like a Collaborator

Giving directions to a composer isn’t about being prescriptive. It’s about being clear, honest, and emotionally specific — while leaving space for creative interpretation.

The best scores come from conversations where we both care about the story, the characters, and the audience’s emotional journey.

So whether you’re prepping your first feature or fine-tuning a short, don’t worry about getting the “music language” right. Just focus on telling me the truth of what your film is trying to say — and I’ll help you say it in sound.

🎵 Need a Composer?

If you’re working on a project and want to start a conversation, feel free to get in touch — even if you’re still writing the script.

🎧 Listen to my music

✉️ Contact me

Marco Valerio Romano

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When Should You Hire a Composer for Your Film?

How Long Does It Take to Score a Film?

Can You Use That Music in Your Film? (Even If It’s Just a Cover or You Edited It)

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